Laundry device

ABSTRACT

A laundry device is disclosed. The laundry device comprises a cabinet provided with a first space and a second space by a partition; a drum provided in the first space; a drawer provided in the second space; a hot air supply unit provided in the first space to supply the hot air to the second space; and an aroma spray unit supplying aroma to the hot air supply unit. In this case, since the hot air is supplied to the second space and at the same time an aromatic function is carried out, the laundry treating process is improved.

This application claims the benefit of the Korean Patent Application No.10-2008-0040942, filed on Apr. 30, 2008, which is hereby incorporated byreference as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a laundry device.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

Generally, a laundry device is to wash and/or dry washing clothes. Thislaundry device can be divided into a washing machine for carrying outwashing, a dryer for carrying out drying, and a washing machine with adrying function, for carrying out washing and drying.

Meanwhile, the aforementioned laundry device requires side devices ofvarious functions (for example, finishing processes such as additionaldrying, sterilization, aromatic function, and deodorization) so that auser uses the laundry device more conveniently. In this respect, variouskinds of side devices have been developed recently.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a laundry device thatsubstantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations anddisadvantages of the related art.

An object of the present invention is to provide a laundry device, inwhich additional drying, deodorization, aromatic function, andsterilization can be carried out for washed laundry or laundry forwashing.

Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will beset forth in part in the description which follows and in part willbecome apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art uponexamination of the following or may be learned from practice of theinvention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may berealized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in thewritten description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with thepurpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, alaundry device comprising: a cabinet provided with a first space and asecond space by a partition; a drum provided in the first space; adrawer provided in the second space; a hot air supply unit provided inthe first space to supply the hot air to the second space; and an aromaspray unit supplying aroma to the hot air supply unit.

Preferably, the aroma spray unit supplies aroma to a hot air supply pathof the hot air supply unit.

Preferably, the hot air supply unit and the aroma spray unit areprovided in the first space.

Preferably, the hot air supply unit includes a housing detachablycoupled to the first space to form a path where the air flows; a blowerfan blowing the air; and a heater heating the air blown by the blowerfan.

Preferably, the housing includes a lower cover detachably coupled to thepartition, and an upper cover coupled to the lower cover to form thepath.

Preferably, the aroma spray unit is detachably provided at the outsidethe housing.

Preferably, the aroma spray unit is provided to adjoin an outlet of theair.

Preferably, wherein the aroma spray unit includes a vessel containingaroma; a driving unit pressurizing the vessel to spray the aroma; and aspray nozzle pipe supplying the aroma sprayed from the vessel to the hotair supply unit.

Preferably, the vessel includes an aroma ampule that containsdeodorization materials and sterilization materials.

Preferably, the driving unit includes a motor; a cam rotated by themotor; and a crank part pressurizing the vessel by carrying out linearreciprocation by means of the cam.

Preferably, the crank part includes a spring member for allowing thecrank part to be pressurized toward the cam.

Preferably, the motor is controlled by a controller that controls anoperation of the hot air supply unit.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description of the present invention areexemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide furtherexplanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention andtogether with the description serve to explain the principle of theinvention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a laundry device according tothe embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a hot air supply unit and anaroma spray unit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a state that an upper cover isdetached from FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a brief diagram illustrating a configuration of an aroma sprayunit of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of thepresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used

Referring to FIG. 1, a laundry device according to the embodiment of thepresent invention is provided with a cabinet 10 constituting appearance.The cabinet 10 is divided into a first space 12 and a second space 14therein. The first space 12 is provided with a drum 20 that isrotatable. The second space 14 is provided with a drawer 30 (see FIG. 2)that is detachably provided. The first space 12 is provided with a hotair supply unit 40 that supplies the hot air to the second space 14. Thehot air supply unit 40 is provided with an aroma spray unit 80 thatsprays aroma along with a path of the hot air.

Various elements which constitute appearance and will be described canbe mounted in the cabinet 10.

In the first space 12, a washing and/or drying stroke is carried out forthe laundry. In the second space 14, the laundry of which washing and/ordrying stroke has been finished in the first space 12 or the separatelywashed laundry is additionally dried.

In other words, the laundry device according to the embodiment of thepresent invention carries out a general washing stroke and/or dryingstroke in the first space 12, and additionally dries the washed laundry,dries or refreshes separate laundry or clothes in the second space 14.In this case, “refresh” means that the air or the heated air is suppliedto clothes to remove rumple of the clothes.

Meanwhile, although the cabinet 10 may be provided with a separatemember for the first space 12 and the second space 14, one member isused in this embodiment as the cabinet 10 so that the cabinet 10 isdivided into the first space and the second space. Namely, the firstspace 12 and the second space 14 are provided inside the cabinet 10constituting appearance.

Hereinafter, an inner structure of the laundry device according to theembodiment of the present invention will be described with reference toFIG. 2. In the laundry device according to the embodiment of the presentinvention, a partition 16 may be provided inside the cabinet 10, whereinthe first space 12 and the second space 14 are partitioned from eachother by the partition 16. In this case, the partition 16 partitions theinside of the cabinet 10 up and down, wherein the upper part of thepartition 16 forms the first space 12 and the lower part of thepartition 15 forms the second space 14.

As a result, the partition 15 can serve as a base of the first space 12and at the same time as an upper cover of the second space 14. In thisway, since one partition 16 serves as the base of the first space 12 andthe upper cover of the second space 14, assembly process is easilycarried out as compared with that the base of the first space 12 and theupper cover of the second space 14 are respectively provided, andassembly time can be reduced.

Meanwhile, the hot air supply unit 40 can be provided in the first space12. Preferably, the hot air supply unit 40 can detachably be provided onthe partition 16. Since the drum 20 is rotatably provided in the firstspace 12 and the drawer 30 is detachably provided in the second space14, the first space 12 has a greater inner volume than that of thesecond space 14. Accordingly, if the hot air supply unit 40 thatsupplies the hot air to the second space 14 is provided in the firstspace 12 instead of the second space 14, the inner space can efficientlybe used.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the hot air supply unit 40is exemplarily provided, but not limited, to heat the air of the firstspace 12 and then supply the heated air to the second space 14. The airoutside the cabinet 10 may be heated to provide the heated air to thesecond space 14. In this case, a supply path (not shown) that suppliesthe air from the outside of the cabinet 10 to the hot air supply unit 40may further be provided.

Since the drum 20 is located in the first space 12 above the partition16, if washing, drying, etc. are carried out, the water may be droppedto the partition 16. Accordingly, the partition 16 is provided with arecess part 17 that receives the water dropped from the upper part ofthe partition 16.

Meanwhile, the installation position of the hot air supply unit 40provided in the barrier will be described in detail. The hot air supplyunit 40 can detachably be provided on the partition 16. In this case,the hot air supply unit 40 can be provided in the recess part 17 formedin the partition 16.

In this case, although not shown, a drainage structure is provided fordraining the water collected in the recess part 17 so as not to accessthe hot air supply unit 40. Alternatively, the recess part 7 is formedsuch that its bottom is inclined.

The aroma spray unit 80 is to improve user's convenience by spraying anaroma to the laundry or clothes when the washed and/or dried laundry isadditionally dried or laundry passed through a separate washing strokeis dried, or clothes to be recycled is refreshed.

The aroma spray unit 80 is detachably provided in the hot air supplyunit 40. The aroma spray unit 80 is provided to spray aroma to the pathof the hot air moved by the hot air supply unit 40. In this case, thearoma spray unit 80 can spray aroma to the second space 14 using the hotair path formed by the hot air supply unit 40 without providing aseparate supply path.

However, although this embodiment has been described that the aromaspray unit 80 is exemplarily provided above the partition, the presentinvention is not limited to this example. For example, the aroma sprayunit 80 may be provided at one side of the second space 14 to sprayaroma along the path of the hot air supplied by the hot air supply unit40.

Meanwhile, in this embodiment, although a separate structure fordraining the hot air supplied toward the second space 14, i.e., thedrawer 30, is not provided, it is to be understood that the presentinvention does not exclude the structure for draining the hot air.Namely, although not shown, a drainage path for draining the air to theoutside of the cabinet 10 may further be provided in the second space14.

Hereinafter, the hot air supply unit 40 and the aroma spray unit 80 ofthe laundry device according to the embodiment of the present inventionwill be described in detail with reference to FIG. 3 to FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 4, the hot air supply unit 40 according to thisembodiment of the present invention includes a housing 42 that isdetachably coupled to the upper part of the partition 16 (see FIG. 2) toform a path where the air flows. The housing 42 includes a blower fan 50blowing the air, a heater 60 heating the air, and a sub-controller (notshown) controlling the blower fan 50 and the heater 60.

Although the housing 42 may be formed as one member, the housing 42preferably includes a lower cover 46, and an upper cover 44 detachablyconnected to the lower cover 46. In this way, if the lower cover 46 andthe upper cover 44 are provided, it is very easy to repair or mountinner elements of the hot air supply unit 40 during maintenance andrepair of the hot air supply unit 40. Specifically, the lower cover isdetachably provided on the partition 16, and can detachably be connectedto a securing member such as a bolt or hook.

Meanwhile, as described above, the path 43 where the air flows along anarrow is formed between the lower cover 46 and the upper cover 44.Although the blower fan 50 and the heater 60 are arranged in due orderalong the flow of the air as shown, the present invention is not limitedto this arrangement. The heater 60 may first be arranged, and then theblower fan 50 may be arranged.

Accordingly, if the blower fan 50 is driven, the air outside the housing42 flows into the housing 42 and then is heated by the heater 60, sothat the hot air is exhausted out through an outlet 49.

In this case, the outlet 49 is connected with a hot air supply (notshown) above the partition 16, so that the hot air exhausted out throughthe outlet 49 is supplied to the second space 14, i.e., the drawer 30through the hot air supply. Moreover, the blower fan 50 is preferablyprovided to control rotation speed. This is because that the blower fan50 can control the amount of the air supplied therethrough bycontrolling the rotation speed.

Meanwhile, the hot air supply unit 40 according this embodiment mayfurther includes a first temperature sensor 70 sensing a temperature ofthe hot air supplied on the path where the air flows. In this case, thehot air supply unit 40 can supply the hot air by controlling the heater60 in accordance with the temperature sensed by the first temperaturesensor 70.

The first temperature sensor 70 can be provided along the path 43, andcan be located to adjoin the end of the path 43, i.e., the outlet 49 soas to exactly measure the temperature of the hot air supplied to thesecond space 14.

Accordingly, the sub-controller provided in the hot air supply unit 40can control driving of the heater 60 in accordance with the temperatureof the air, which is measured by the first sensor 70, to control thetemperature of the hot air supplied to the second space 14.

Meanwhile, if the temperature of the hot air is sensed by the firstsensor 70 to control the heater 60, although one controller may beprovided, two or more controllers may be provided.

As described above, if a plurality of controllers, for example, a maincontroller and a sub-controller are provided, the main controller cancontrol the drum 20 and the hot air supply unit 40, and the valuemeasured by the first temperature sensor 70 can be transmitted to themain controller.

Meanwhile, the aroma spray unit 80 can be provided to adjoin the hot airsupply unit 40. It is preferable that the aroma spray unit 80 candetachably provided at one side of the hot air supply unit 40 toexchange aroma with new one if the aroma contained in the aroma sprayunit 80 is used up.

Preferably, the aroma spray unit 80 supplies aroma to the second space14 using the hot air supply path. In this case, the aroma spray unit 80can uniformly spray aroma using the blower fan 50 of the hot air supplyunit 40. Also, since a separate path and a separate blower fan are notrequired to supply the aroma, the manufacturing process steps can bereduced.

Therefore, it is preferable that the aroma spray unit 80 includes aspray nozzle pipe 81 that passes through the housing 42 to spray thearoma into the housing 42 of the hot air supply unit 40.

Furthermore, the aroma spray unit 80 preferably is provided to adjointhe outlet 49 through which the hot air is exhausted. This is becausethat, if the aroma sprayed from the aroma spray unit 80 is guided intothe hot air supply unit 40, the aroma supplied to the second space 14may be reduced and efficiency of the hot air supply unit 40 may bereduced as the heater 60 is covered with the raw materials, etc.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, the aroma spray unit 80 canuniformly spray the aroma to the second space 14 together with the hotair exhausted to the second space 14 by supplying the aroma into thepath of the hot air supply unit 40 through the spray nozzle pipe 81.

Hereinafter, the aroma spray unit 80 will be described in more detailwith reference to FIG. 5.

The aroma spray unit 80 includes a vessel 82 in which the raw materialsof the aroma are contained. The vessel 82 can be provided with the spraynozzle pipe 81 for spraying the aroma, at one side. The vessel 82 can beprovided to spray the aroma through the spray nozzle pipe 81 if one endis pressurized like a general aroma spray. At this time, the rawmaterials of the aroma are made of, but not limited to, aromaticmaterials for clothes. The raw materials of the aroma can includedeodorization materials or sterilization materials.

Meanwhile, a driving unit 83 may further be provided at one side of thevessel 82. The driving unit 83 is to spray an aroma ampule bypressurizing the vessel 82. Preferably, the driving unit 83 pressurizesthe vessel 82 at a predetermined period so as to intermittently spraythe aroma while the hot air supply unit is operated. This is becausethat, since an aromatic generally has an aromatic effect even using alittle spray, if the aromatic is sprayed too much, it may make a userfeel displeasure when the user wears clothes.

The driving unit 83 of this embodiment includes a motor 84, a cam 84′converting a rotational motion of the motor 84 to a rectilinear motionof the motor 84, and a crank part 85 reciprocating by means of therotation of the cam 84′. The crank part 85 includes a spring member 85′for being always pressurized toward the cam 84′.

Accordingly, the cam 84′ is rotated by the motor 84, and one end of thecrank part 85 carries out reciprocation toward the vessel 82 by means ofthe rotation of the cam 84′. Also, a pressurizing part 85 formed at oneend of the crank part 85 can spray the aroma intermittently whilepressurizing the vessel 82 at a predetermined period.

At this time, the driving unit 83 is preferably controlled by acontroller (not shown) that controls the operation of the hot air supplyunit 40. In this case, since the controller controls a spray period ofthe aroma in accordance with the intensity and the temperature of thehot air supplied from the hot air supply unit 40, it is possible toobtain a more suitable laundry device.

Hereinafter, the operation of the laundry device having theaforementioned structure will be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

First of all, the user puts clothes in the drum 20 of the first space 12and then carries out a desired stroke, for example, a washing and/ordrying stroke to wash and/or dry the clothes.

Meanwhile, as described above, some cases may occur as follows. Thelaundry of which washing and/or drying stroke has been carried out inthe first space 12 should be dried additionally, separately washedclothes should be dried, or clothes to be recycled should be refreshed.

In this case, the user can put the laundry to be additionally dried orclothes to be refreshed in the drawer of the second space 14, and cancarry out additional drying stroke. In this case, the additional dryingstroke can include, for example, a hot air course supplying the hot air,or a blowing course blowing the air only.

Meanwhile, if the hot air course is carried out, the air is heated bythe hot air supply unit 40 and then the hot air is supplied to thesecond space 14, i.e., the drawer 30. Also, the temperature of the hotair may be sensed by the temperature sensor to control the hot airsupply unit 40.

Furthermore, if the hot air is supplied from the hot air supply unit 40,the aroma can be sprayed by the aroma spray unit 80 along the supplypath of the hot air. Accordingly, the laundry (or clothes) contained inthe drawer 30 is dried by the hot air and at the same time is subjectedto aromatic spray process.

As described above, the laundry device according to the presentinvention has the following advantages.

Since the hot air is supplied during additional drying process andrefreshing process of clothes and at the same time the aroma issupplied, the laundry treating process is improved.

Also, since one partition serves as the base of the first space and theupper cover of the second space, it is possible to facilitate assemblyof the laundry device.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the presentinvention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing fromthe spirit and essential characteristics of the invention. Thus, theabove embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrativeand not restrictive. The scope of the invention should be determined byreasonable interpretation of the appended claims and all change whichcomes within the equivalent scope of the invention are included in thescope of the invention.

1. A laundry device comprising: a cabinet provided with a first spaceand a second space by a partition; a drum provided in the first space; adrawer provided in the second space; a hot air supply unit provided inthe first space to supply the hot air to the second space; and an aromaspray unit supplying aroma to the hot air supply unit.
 2. The laundrydevice of claim 1, wherein the aroma spray unit supplies aroma to a hotair supply path of the hot air supply unit.
 3. The laundry device ofclaim 1, wherein the hot air supply unit and the aroma spray unit areprovided in the first space.
 4. The laundry device of claim 1, whereinthe hot air supply unit includes: a housing detachably coupled to thefirst space to form a path where the air flows; a blower fan blowing theair; and a heater heating the air blown by the blower fan.
 5. Thelaundry device of claim 4, wherein the housing includes a lower coverdetachably coupled to the partition, and an upper cover coupled to thelower cover to form the path.
 6. The laundry device of claim 4, whereinthe aroma spray unit is detachably provided at the outside the housing.7. The laundry device of claim 4, wherein the aroma spray unit isprovided to adjoin an outlet of the air.
 8. The laundry device of claim4, wherein the aroma spray unit includes: a vessel containing aroma; adriving unit pressurizing the vessel to spray the aroma; and a spraynozzle pipe supplying the aroma sprayed from the vessel to the hot airsupply unit.
 9. The laundry device of claim 8, wherein the vesselincludes an aroma ampule that contains deodorization materials andsterilization materials.
 10. The laundry device of claim 8, wherein thedriving unit includes: a motor; a cam rotated by the motor; and a crankpart pressurizing the vessel by carrying out linear reciprocation bymeans of the cam.
 11. The laundry device of claim 10, wherein the crankpart includes a spring member for allowing the crank part to bepressurized toward the cam.
 12. The laundry device of claim 4, whereinthe motor is controlled by a controller that controls an operation ofthe hot air supply unit.